NQP2
by KeithCampbell
Summary: This is sophomore year of my Not Quite Paradise stuff


**Not Quite Paradise 2**

**Here is Gone**

**By, Stephen Brandt**

_**Barkley! Love you**_

**Chapter 1- The Catchup, and The Family **

"Do you Keith Stephen Campbell, take Lisa Ann Weaver to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have in sickness and in health, and good times and bad?" Father John said at St. Francis in Portland.

"I will," I said.

"And do you Lisa Ann Weaver take Keith Stephen Campbell to be you lawfully wedded husband, to have in sickness and in health, and good times and bad?" Father John said.

"I will," Lisa said. And with that I was married.

The last half year has been crazy in the Campbell household. Mom is dating again, which is good, and she needed it after getting fired from work. And now that Dad was off somewhere with one of his new girl's it was good to have a man around. Lisa and I wedded husband, to have in sickness and in health, and good times and bad?" Father John said.

"I will," Lisa said. And with that I was married.

The last half year has been crazy in the Campbell household. Mom is dating again, which is good, and she needed it after getting fired from work. And now that Dad was off somewhere with one of his new girl's it was good to have a man around. Lisa and I moved into Mom's house after school let out. It seemed smart a the time, since we were living in the house anyway.

Big things have happened around the athletic department too. Ed McMillian, Craig Forth and Ed Lewis all left the department for the South Carolina athletic department. That was only after the media hung Coach Firth out to dry over my injury. Coach Larryson is now our head coach, and quarterbacks coach. He also got married to the softball coach in the off season.

That injury, well it wasn't as bad as I thought it was, I did strain all the muscles in my left leg. Coach Firth to be smart this time took me off the team for the rest of the year just so I didn't get injured again. That ended our season also, we ended up only winning three games for the year. I tried to get back for baseball season, but the strain on my leg was too much to take, so I gave up baseball.

Eddie and Billy Jeane left for Canada at first semester break, don't know why they left, but maybe it was good that he was gone. Willie came back to school saying that he had to sort out things in his life. He also put on muscle while he was gone, and he looked relaxed.

Lisa and I didn't take a honeymoon because we got married so close to school, though Mom said that she'd pay for our honeymoon provided it wasn't too expensive or too exotic. Lisa and I decided that we'd go over winter break somewhere, considering we'd not be in a bowl this year.

Sure enough Coach Larryson was right about opening up the playbook for me, for my second season, he put in so many more plays into the book that it took me most of the summer to learn them. Fortunately, Lisa was a huge help, she grilled me daily on what went on in each play. Her father moved to Corvallis and became the head coach of the local high school here in town. He was a great guy, I kind of adopted him as my father. He liked that, since he didn't have any son's of his own, having a son in law was almost like that son he wanted to have. I wanted to have Coach Weaver on the team as another assistant coach, but Coach Larryson didn't want to play favorites.

August practice was so much easier that year, I just seemed to clicked with the backs and receivers. It was good that we had two good quarterbacks this year because if I went down, you didn't want to have to play an inexperienced player. Will had a great second half of the season last year, but couldn't get the team into the bowl season. Jack got drafted in the fourth round by the New York Giants, so he put off law school. Coach Larryson brought in an amazing recruiting coordinator, so our depth was better than last year.

Many of the players who Coach Larryson brought in were down to earth, and very fast. They were some of the fastest players I'd ever seen. Of course, the players said that about my class, so that was just the evolution of the sport. And as a quarterback that was a good thing, the better the players, the better I looked. A lot of the guys were happy that I'd gotten married in the off season, thought Mike missed living with me. He moved in with Willie and Dashawn Coles, a new player who transferred in from a program which gave up football.

Once again at media day we were picked to finish in the bottom of the Pac 10, which stunk. But with the new teams, Arizona and Stanford, we'd have a hard time. Thought I knew we were better than Arizona State and Washington, because they'd lost so much. I was picked as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, which was kind of a surprise to me because I didn't play that much last year.

"Keith, get in here for a moment," Coach Larryson said when I walked past his office one Monday morning during August practice. He'd gotten pretty demanding since he got the job. Then again he was now the head man, but he still didn't need to be as pushy towards us.

"Yeah Coach?" I asked. He change Coach Firth's office when he became the coach. There were now more book cases for game tapes and playbooks. He did still have the couches but they were always covered with something, tapes, magazines or clothes, I sometimes thought that he slept at the office. That didn't surprise me if he did, he was like that as an assistant coach.

"You got the new playbook yet?" He asked looking up from the morning paper. He was more in tune with current events than Coach Firth was.

"Yeah, seems doable, I like the mixture of four receiver sets, thank god we have the speed this year to do it," I said. Last year we had some very slow receivers so it was hard for us to have a diversified offense. We were basically a running based team, and that really took away from showcasing my talent. However, Coach Larryson was more of a passing coach, and that was probably the best for the long term.

"I wanted to open the offense up more, I think with the offensive line jelling we could be very explosive this year," Coach Larryson said after taking a sip of his coffee.

"Plus with the new blood in the receiving core we can surprise some people," I said. I was so excited to play Texas Christian, which was our first game, it seemed like no mater what I did during the practices, it worked.

"Don't you mean freshmen?" Coach Larryson said jokingly. "New blood sounds like you are a biologist or something."

"You know what I meant," I said. "It just came out wrong, thought Lisa does that so much to me."

"So how's married life?" Coach Larryson asked. He was still dating the softball coach, and many of the players on both of their teams were giving them trouble for dating for two years and not getting married.

"I won't lie, it's a struggle sometimes, but Lisa's amazing," I said. "Though, she has her moments where it's great to be with her."

"You are so confusing about marriage," Coach Larryson said.

"Can you blame me, I'm a young husband, and I've only been married three months," I said. "Give me a year."

"But it might not last," Coach Larryson said, before the phone on his desk rung.

"No it will, I'm not going to end up like my parents," I said. That was my biggest fear when I asked Lisa to marry me, I didn't want to be Dad. Lisa is too important to me to have that happen.

"You never know, my parents were married at 17, and I've not thought about it," Coach Larryson said. "Anyway, practice this afternoon is going to be light."

"Why?" I said. "I didn't think I had a good practice yesterday, kinda wanted to go hard."

"Keith, you never think you have a good practice," Coach Larryson said.

"Well I just want to improve, I hate being bad," I said.

"You're far from bad, you know that," Coach Larryson said.

"I know I'm good, but I so don't want to get cocky," I said. Though I did need to be cockier, if there was such a thing. It's just that I wasn't someone who liked to hype himself. That was for people in my opinion who didn't have much talent. I liked to let my play speak for itself.

"Keith, can you help me here?" Danny Tanner a freshman quarterback asked popping his head into Coach's office. Danny was probably going to red shirt this season and replace me once I left. Fundamentally, he was a better player than I was, but he was so undefined as a player. He was a good guy too, I liked talking to him. He was dating a cheerleader from Texas.

"Yeah what do you need man?" I said.

"I need someone to spot me," Danny said.

"I can see you," I said.

"Smart ass, I mean I need you over at the chest press," Danny said.

"I know what you meant," I said. "So how's Grace adapting to Oregon?" Grace was his girlfriend, who later became his wife. She was a drop dead gorgeous woman, not on the level of Lisa but she was very hot. Grace was a tough woman too, she seemed to be more of a tom boy than anything else.

"If there wasn't the cheerleading team I think she'd not have come," Danny said.

"That sucks, she'll have growing pains," I said helping him bench press. "Where are you from?"

"Dallas," He said finishing up.

"Why'd you leave Texas, that's killer football there?" I asked.

"Because Coach Larryson promised to play me after you go," Danny said. "Most of the coaches in Texas wanted to move me to linebacker." Danny was a big guy 6'5 240, so I could see what the coaches in Texas were talking about.

"I'm glad I have a good backup this year, as much as I liked Will, he was just not great enough," I said.

"I think that was one of the reason's why I was brought in," Danny said finishing up his work out. Will left after Coach Firth got fired, because he didn't want to have to relearn another offense. Of course at the time of the coaching change we didn't know that Coach Larryson would be named the head coach.

"Yeah but aren't you going to be shirted this year?" I asked as we walked back to the locker-room.

"I think so, Coach Hank hasn't said a damn thing about it yet," Danny said. "Do you know anything more?"

"Nah, Coach Larryson doesn't tell me anything, thank god, I don't want to be the typical star player who calls the shots," I said. I just wanted to play.

"Oh ok, didn't know if you had stepped into the office when they were talking about the team," Danny said before Grace met him in the lobby.

"Hey darling, how was practice?" She asked.

"Painful, but that's just life," Danny said. "Or at least the life of a freshman."

"Yeah it only gets worse from there," I said. "I have to stay out of practice once a week, because my leg gets in trouble sometimes."

"But if you don't play hard you won't be good," Danny said.

"True, and I like to practice," I said. That was the most painful thing about being injured is that I was kept out of practice so long. And even when I came back Coach Larryson kept me under tight raps, so I couldn't be hit. I hated that, I wanted to get hit, but I understood. Lisa also didn't want me out there anyway.

"That has to suck about not being able to be hit in practice," Grace said as we all walked back to the parking lot. Grace did have a mouth on her, and Danny said that it bugged him that his girl friend would swear more than him.

"Well yes, but sine Will transferred out and you are red shirting, I don't have a backup so I have to be very careful," I said. Well I did have a backup or three, it's just they were horrible, and I didn't need to get injured again.

"You are saying that Mark and Ed aren't that good," Danny said as we walked to my truck. During the off season Grandpa Campbell died and left me enough money for a car, so I did what anyone with money would do, buy something. God I loved that truck.

"They aren't as good as you and I hungover are," I said. August practice was great because I didn't have to go right to class, I could go back to Lisa and rest for a bit.

"HAHHAA, that's true, but still they wouldn't be here if they didn't have some talent," Danny said walking back up the hill to the dorms.

"Hey you want to come over later and throw some more?" I yelled to them.

"Yeah sure got some freshman stuff to worry about," Danny said. "But I'll call you later."

"Ok man, see you later," I said driving off. It was such a relief having my own car, with Mom working I didn't want to have to make arrangements to get to practice. Plus it would be much better for Lisa and I to have a car of our own, we did think about moving out eventually.

Lisa was having fun as a wife, I think that she was one of those women that guys heard about so often who came to college solely to get married. A lot of guys were scared of those types of women, but I figured if it was meant to be then why fight it.

"Hey sweetie, I'm home," I said getting home, Mom and Lisa were still just starting the day.

"How was practice?" Lisa said sitting at the table with breakfast.

"Boring, Coach is still not letting me get hit, which really stinks, but he knows more than I do," I said sitting down next to Lisa. Mom must have gone to work by then.

"Yeah true, but you have to realize that in the long run it's going to help you," Lisa said. "No use playing on an injured leg."

"And without a competent backup I have to stay more in shape this year, thought it's not like there isn't any difference from last year," I said.

"Well, you think that Coach will shirt Danny?" Lisa said pouring some coffee for me. In the offseason I'd developed a nasty habit of drinking coffee. It probably was doing things to me that I didn't know but oh well.

"Dunno, it would be smart if he did, because I have two years left here, and you don't want to burn two years of eligibility on Danny just sitting behind me," I said. "Thought you can always pull the shirt if you need him."

"But that would burn a year for him," Lisa said. "Coach knows what he's doing anyway."

"Of course, that's why he has the job and I don't," I said. "That doesn't stop me from complaining every now and then."

"Hunny, you complain no matter what," She said smiling, and I knew she was joking.

"Yeah true Lisa but, in the same standpoint, I don't want to come home and complain," I said. Since I didn't grow up with a stable father, I know what it was like to hear someone complain too much. And I didn't want to be that husband who only complained.

"You know I'm joking but I don't mind," She said handing me the cereal.

"True, but I still don't want to end up like my Dad," I said. I probably wouldn't because I wasn't anything like him, but I just wanted to be safe.

"Since I don't know your father I can't say anything about that," Lisa said reading the front page of the paper. Today's paper was the big one for football fans because the sports page did a full preview of the team. I always loved that because I could see what they thought of every player.

"But you've heard enough of Dad anyway," I said finding the football section.

"Anyway, take it easy with the leg, your still not 100," She said. "We need you for the Fresno State game." It was cool she could remember each game.

"Hey would your father mind if I came over and ran through some plays with him, I need a second eye on these?" I asked.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind, but would Coach Larryson, have any issues with it?" Lisa said.

"No not really, he doesn't mind too much, as long as I don't forget that Ed is my head coach," I said. Ed was cool with me talking to Lisa's father, and I couldn't figure it out. I should've only been going to Ed, but hey he may have figured that a second opinion was smart for me. Lisa always was a help with the playbook too, more than most women would be. I was really spoiled with my family. It would have been so hard at least early in my career if I hadn't had the people supporting me.

"I'm here also, if you need more studying help," Lisa said while doing the dishes.

"I know babe, just not thinking about football right now," I said. I wanted to take the rest of the day off and just read. I had really gotten into reading World War Two history books at that time. Maybe it was because that history class was so fascinating to me, but I couldn't stop reading about it. It was also a good way to get my mind off of football for a while.

"Ah so you want to have a lazy day today?" She said.

"Of course, I'm a college student," I replied. That was a cop out too, not all college students are lazy, it's just that's how I viewed it.

"You are?" She said being a smart ass, or is it a nice ass, couldn't tell.

"Smart ass," I shot back.

"No don't you mean nice ass," She said with a smile. That's why I loved Lisa she was so funny, and would slip in a comment about herself every now and then.

"Duh, you know I love that ass," I said settling down with my play book and a book. I figured if I was going to lay around, that having my playbook around would be handy if I got too bored. Like I was going to get bored with my books anyway, but you know that was a thought.

"Babe can I take the truck?" Lisa asked after she cleaned up the breakfast.

"Yeah but you remember the last time you drove?" I said.

"Yeah but I won't crash, it's just stupid that Dad won't give me a car," she said. Since she was small it was hard for Lisa to drive my car, but she liked doing it. I never understood why, but it was kind of our car.

"You should really use your Dad's summer car, it's not bad, and it's short for you," I said while still reading.

"Dad won't give me that one, I crashed it in high school," She said trying to find my keys. I had the habit of putting them in places where they shouldn't go.

"Once again, WOMEN DRIVERS," I said with a smile.

"Hey, that's not funny," She said with a grin.

"Actually babe, it is," I said. Of course I was joking but I kind of knew that, that statement would come back to haunt me sometime.

"Shut it," She said finding the keys and leaving. "I'll be back in a few."

"Hours?" I yelled out the door.

"Yup," She said. Well, ok, Lisa was like that sometimes. Oh well, it gave me some time to get my studying for football done. Not that she was annoying or bugging me, it's just that I needed to be left alone sometimes. It was just easier to pay attention when she wasn't around, because I'd be thinking of her, and she's just too hot.

Of course knowing that, I did a lot, but I didn't have anyone around to throw a ball to, so it was almost pointless. But in the same standpoint I could also go through the motions and visualize it. All routes we were running, were basic, it was just the amount to run. We weren't that complex of an offense in reality because it was mindless routes, but really no one was. Coach Larryson didn't want to surprise us.

People always said the first months of marriage were the best times, and since I never had that model in my life for a good marriage. Sure Lisa's parents had been married for like 30 years, but I really didn't know them. So I was just going on what I'd think was going to be a great marriage. Chances are I'll slip up, I didn't want to think that way, but most marriages do end up in divorce. I don't want to hurt Lisa, because she's a great woman.

Mom came home for lunch a lot after Lisa and I got married, I guess it was a way for her to be around us more. She really loved having Lisa around, maybe it was that Mom loved having another woman around, whatever it was, I was happy to see Mom happy again. She disserved it, and Lisa loved mother. It wasn't hard to love Mom she was, and still is a great person. She never needed any of the crap that she got in life.

"Hey, did Lisa go out?" Mom said when she came in.

"Yeah don't know where, probably off to see the family, I figured she could have the car for a bit," I said.

"Its' too big for me," Mom said. Well Mom never drove the truck anyway, and she was smaller than Lisa.

"You know Lisa, she wants to do something she will," I said.

"She got you so, I guess she's right," Mom said with a smirk on her face. Mom had a dry almost potty like humor to her sometimes.

"Well, yeah I guess, but it was more, like well," I said. "Guess you are right." I really couldn't say who fell for who faster, but I know she was perfect. Well at least I thought so, I knew that Lisa didn't like to be called perfect, in fact I don't think any woman liked it.

"What are you saying?" Mom said while whipping up the counters, apparently we didn't do a good enough job.

"Really, I don't know," I said.

"Why?" She said. I have no idea why Mom was getting so interested in our relationship, because she already knew it all.

"What are you talking about?" I said just as Lisa walked back in looking kind of frazzled.

"Aw man I shouldn't have gone over there," Lisa said putting the keys back on the key caddy.

"Whatcha talking about?" Mom said.

"Mom and Dad are getting a divorce," She said starting to cry. "I didn't see this coming."

"Aw hunny come here, that's bad," I said going over to give her a hug. This could be devastating on her.

"Yes, I'm heart broken, I mean my family is breaking up," she said starting to sob. "Why do they have to get divorced?"

"Sometimes things just don't work out," Mom said. "I know it wasn't hard for me to leave Dan."

"Yeah but Mom and Dad were so happy," She said sobbing. I felt so bad for Lisa. Having gone through it, I knew what she was in for, and it wasn't good. I needed to take all her pain away.

"Sometimes parents just don't tell their children everything," Mom said. I'm sure Mom and Dad didn't tell me everything about their divorce, not that I cared to much anyway.

"But I've lived with them all my life, well," She said. "Except for this past year and a half."

"Hunny, a lot can change when you move out, it's one of those empty nest things, I think," Mom said.

"But still it's not fair, my parent's aren't supposed to be getting a divorce, it's just not right," Lisa said.

"No one is supposed to get divorced, it just happens," I said. Well, I knew my parents were heading for divorce, so I wasn't too worried about feeling hurt about that. Mom and Dad weren't good for each other, and that was very well known. Mom needed a new man in her life.

"Babe I know your trying to help but I'm not in the right state of mind," Lisa said.

"Aw I'm sorry," I said.

"It's not your fault, I'm just shattered," She said. Lisa went to our bedroom and just stayed there. It had to be very hard to be blind sided like that. Especially when you don't see it coming. With Mom and Dad I knew they were going to get a divorce, now that doesn't make it easier, it was just really not out in the blue. Lisa didn't disserve all of this, and her family was great. Now I didn't know everything about them, and Lisa didn't know everything about us.

I rain upstairs after a while to see if she was doing ok, because it was hard to see your wife so hurt. I didn't know what to do actually, how do you calm someone down when they don't want to be? I'm emotional as the next person, but I do want help sometimes.

"Hey Lisa, you ok?" I asked walking into our room. She was laying on the bed curled up in a ball.

"No, I don't know if I'll ever be," She said crying. "This shouldn't be happening, at all."

"No it shouldn't babe, you shouldn't be this hurt," I said.

"Aw I know, it's just hard to see your family break up," She said trying to feel better.

"Yeah it is, even thought I knew Mom and Dad were heading for a divorce anyway, so that wasn't too much of a surprise," I said. "Thought it does sting that I don't have a father anymore.

"Your father is alive," She said.

"In the physical sense yes, but emotionally once he cheated on my Mom, he's gone," I said. I never wanted to see Dad, fortunately he skipped out on the wedding, so that was good, thought I think apart of him wanted to come.

"That's what I don't want to happen to my parents," She said starting to cry again. All I could do was sit there and hold her.

"Hopefully it won't," I said. Maybe they are just going through a bad part, some people say they are going to get divorced and then really don't." Lisa was so hurt that she was just like a bag of bones. She wasn't really moving or really there, just kind of existing.

"I hope so, babe you want to go out tonight?" She asked. Lisa wasn't a girl to take the initiative on dates, and technically we didn't have to date no more. But it was nice to go out and do stuff every now and then.

"Yeah sure, what were you thinking?" I said. I wasn't too excited about going out later today because I had more practice in the morning, and I knew what it was like to show up to practice all tired. I lived off campus, but I still had a curfew from the NCAA. It was stupid, they made us all get in bed by midnight. We didn't need a governing body telling us what to do, we had our own staff and families to do that.

"Maybe just an early movie," She said. "I know you have to get in early, I just don't want to be around here all day."

"Well, yeah as long as I'm back in here by 10, I don't want coach to be calling all over the place for me," I said. Chances are he'd call around anyway, knowing him.

"Oh don't worry about that, I don't want to be out that late, I'm tired," She said. It seemed like lately she's been very tired. Maybe it's just a virus, I hoped it wasn't anything too bad.

"You been tired a lot lately," I said.

"Yeah, I've not slept that well lately, that's weird," She said. "Maybe it's the bed, even thought I'm used to it by now."

"Who knows, what movie you looking for?" I said trying to change the boring conversation.

"A date movie," She said with a smile before sticking out her tongue. Of course being a guy I always loved seeing a woman stick out their tongue.

"Well, duh, I'm more than a sexy face, and great hair," I said back.

"Are you sure about that," She said jokingly. "Maybe that Jane Turner movie that's out."

"Oh yeah, sure let's go to that," I said. I hated chick flicks, but I figured if she was happy I would be happy so I could suffer through it.

"Are you sure or you just trying to be nice," She said.

"I'll go, it's not like it could be awful," I said. And if it was, that wouldn't be the worst thing that had ever happened.

"Aw thanks babe," She said. "Which time do you want to go?"

"Anytime, I'm not too picky, just make it the one on Linwood," I said.

"Ok, why?" She said.

"Because it's closer and then we don't have to drive out to the one on Forrest St, which could get me home late," I said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know no getting you home late," She said while changing to lay down for a bit.

"Hey I'm not the one that makes the rules, I'd rather be out late," I said getting into the bed next to her.

"I know, sorry to be so snappy today," She said putting my arm around her waist. I loved her sexy little waist, God she was so sexy to me. And I think she knew it too well, because she'd always tease me by wearing the sexiest clothes and stuff. Then again, I always thought that all sexy women knew that, but I'm just a guy. Or at least I hope.

"Meh, it's ok sweetie, I'll adapt," I said falling asleep.

"Just messing," She said while yawning. We just fell asleep there and were asleep for a long time, in fact we clear missed movie time too.

"Oh man, we aren't going to get to the movie tonight," she said waking up.

"Wow, and we were looking forward for that too," I said all groggy and stiff from sleeping so long. Plus that leg was still giving me trouble if I wasn't active for long periods. Why did leg injuries have to hurt so much, and last so long?

"Oh well we can just wait for the weekend too," I said.

"Yeah, true, thought I was looking forward to seeing it today," She said. I was to actually no matter how many girlie flicks I'd seen, I could always see another one.

"Oh well, we can wait, it's just in the cinema's right now," I said. I hated going to the cinema when the movie was just in, because it was always packed, and I hated crowds. I hated being pushed around, and that was funny because of my sport. I guess I was just a paradox.

"I know, the whole thing about not being in crowds I get it," She said with a tone. I didn't want to fight so I just let it go.

"Lisa, Keith, you all up there?" Mom yelled up the stairs.

"Yes, Mom we are," I yelled back.

"Hey, I made you all dinner, just have to reheat it in the oven," She said. Had microwaves been invented I would have been so much heavier. But warming things up in the oven wasn't too bad, just not as easy.

"Ok thanks Miss Matthews," Lisa yelled down the stairs.

"You can call my Robin, Lisa, I don't mind," Mom said as we were walking down the stairs.

"I know it's still weird though," She said. "I'm so used to calling adults, MR or Mrs."

"But I'm different," Mother said getting out our lasagna.

"I'd hope so," Lisa said. "But it will take some time to get used to."

"Yeah, thought we've known each other for a year," She said.

"True, but I'm slow, or so I think," Lisa said.

"Thinking is against the rules in this house," I said with a smile. I loved Mom's lasagna because it reminded me of all the football dinners we had in high school. Maybe it was that I loved being with my teammates, or was it that I loved eating a lot of food? Who knew, but lasagna was a meal that brought a smile to my face.

"Then how do you get your work done here?" Lisa said.

"Well, I don't, it's just taken care of without thinking for me," I said.

"What?" Lisa said while trying to enjoy the food. Before I met her, Lisa had said she tried to be a vegetarian, but she missed all the meat.

"I'm just that good," I said with a smile. Of course I had to think, but I liked playing off that I was good at everything. It was funny once I married her, I got more confident about myself and my abilities. I'd never been someone to toot my own horn.

"Sure, you are," Lisa said.

"Well fine, I'm not," I said smiling. It really stunk that during the season I really couldn't drink a beer. I did a couple times last year, and I felt awful about it. That was because we weren't allowed to.

"You two are so cute, makes me want to get married again," Mom said. Ok that was the first time Mom had brought up the marriage thing since Dad ran out on us.

"Wait, what?" I said all surprised. As much as I wanted to see Mom happy, another father wasn't something I was ready for.

"Yeah well, you two getting married has really made me wish that I had a great guy in my life," Mom said. She did need to have someone in her life at the time.

"Aw that's nice, but don't you think that good guys are hard to find?" Lisa asked.

"Yeah, but it's not like I've had the best luck with men," Mom said. That was so sad but true. After she dumped Eric, Mom had a lot of one-night stands, and good for her, I think that she just needed to get him out of her mind. However, I really didn't think there was anyone good enough for her around. But I was biased.

"I'm sure Mom you could find someone, maybe if you hang around the team some more," I said. The most eligible bachelor was Coach Larryson, he'd broken up with Coach MacWilliams in the off-season. As much as that would be nice for my Mom, I don't think that Ed was the type of guy for her.

"Well, Ed is a good guy," She said. Mom was right, Ed was a good guy, just not a well kept guy, thought I'd love them to date.

"Yeah he is, but I don't know if it's allowed for a player's mother to date a coach," I said. Knowing that rulebook there was probably some weird rule. There were more weird rules added every year. Eventually, there would be a rule for everything, or so many feared then.

"Oh you are right it might be," Mom said. When I was recruited Mom read the NCAA rulebook just to make sure she wasn't breaking any of the rules. Then again Coach Firth followed the rules so, Mom wouldn't be in trouble anyway, but she was just being safe.

We cleaned up from dinner and sure enough Mike Wright called. Coach Wright was a graduate assistant coach on the team. He was one of the coaches who dealt with the quarterbacks. He'd played in the lower divisions of college, to some success, so it was good to have another young person around who knows the game.

"Hey man, can you stop by, " Mike said.

"Yeah what for?" I asked back.

"Some video work," Mike said.

"Oh, ok, yeah well lemme see if I can get the car for the night, if not I'll figure out something," I said. I didn't want to go over anyway, Mike was a good, good guy, but there's only so much football I can take before I have to scream.

"Hey Mom, do you need the car tonight?" I said, forgetting that I had my own.

"Take yours," She said.

"Oh yeah, forgot, hunny, did you leave me gas," I said to Lisa.

"Yeah, lots of it," She yelled back.

"Ok good thanks, I need to step out for a bit to Coach Wright's," I said.

"Why?" Lisa asked. "It's not like you haven't seen enough of the offense yet."

"True, but you can always be prepared," I said. "Do you want me to drop you off at your parents?"

"Nah, I want to give them a chance to think about it some more," She said. That was probably the best thing, plus she'd been over there earlier in the day. I was just hoping to help her out. Oh well.

"Well, if you need anything I've left the number," I said. Chances are she wouldn't because Mom was home, but you never knew.

"I'm sure I won't, I'm just going to be taking a bath and reading," Lisa said.

"Ok, well hunny, I'm out of here for a while," I said before giving her a kiss and leaving. As much as I complained about going over to Mike's place, I did need more video time. You couldn't as a quarterback be too familiar with the offense, something will always be new.

I drove over to Maplewood Street, Coach Wright lived in a nice apartment building. He lived in the building furthest back from the street. I had half a mind to move out of Mom's place and over here, but it was pointless with her being in town.

"Hey, sorry to call you over late, but I wanted to keep you ahead of schedule for the new offense," Mike said when he opened the door.

"Oh thanks, it wasn't that hard to pick up the stuff from last week," I said.

"Yeah most of it isn't hard if you are intuitive about playing," Mike said. VCR's were just beginning to get more and more popular so Mike was able to get one through the college for tape study.

"Yeah, and really not a lot of the plays are complex, yet," I said sitting down in his living room.

"Yet is the key, but this is major college, we could afford to add more, I know Ed isn't comfortable with adding everything right away," He said.

"I can see why, it could confuse all of us," I said.

"Yeah but this is football, you have to be able to react on the stop so knowing everything right now might help in a close game," Mike said. "I can't argue with the coach, because he knows what he's doing." He was right, but at the same point Ed had a reason for what he was doing, and he's usually right.

We sat down and went over some really basic formations that I've been running for years, but there was different audiles off of them. That was the thing that I had issues dealing with, I was just not used to having to change plays at the line. Last year we did it some, but not as much as it seemed Ed wanted us to. However, it was the natural progression to the NFL that I needed. As humble as I was, I wanted to be in the NFL, and knew that I had the talent to make it.

The offense really wasn't that bad, we just needed more speedy wide receivers. We had good receivers, Mike, Derrick, Will, and Tony were good, but in order to take it to the next level our speed had to improve. We probably did need another tight end too, but really at this time tight ends weren't as big.

"So you get that, just a zip on the post to the Z, after checking down to the L," Mike said. It was funny, if you had heard him talk about the plays, it sounds like French, but to a quarterback, it's normal.

"Yeah it's quite simple actually, now on the R route on the Z56oklahomalefts, who's my primary target," I asked. Let me say this, if I had said that to Mom, she'd be so confused that it would probably tire her out.

"Derrick will be, but Beck Jackson could be if he's got single coverage on the safety," Mike responded.

"Beck is playing this year?" I asked. "You're not going to shirt him?"

"We thought about it for a while, but he's too fast to keep on the sideline for a year," Mike said.

"That's probably the smartest thing to do," I said. Of course it was, they were coaches, they knew everything. I was always one of those players who believed the coaches knew all and I'd never question the coach.

"Well yeah, but we can always decide to shirt him anyway, it's early," Mike said.

"Of course we have Mike Anderson too," I said. I'd really not seen Mike Anderson since the wedding. We were still friends but it was hard to go out with guys who were looking for women, while I was married. It's not that Lisa had any issues with me going out with the guys, it's just weird to be with people who are looking for dates.

"Yeah true, but I think we might need him as a running back this year," Mike said.

"Yeah but Carl, and Lewis aren't that bad either, at least what I've seen," I said. Of course I lent really no opinion into the matter, since they'd basically made their minds up already.

"To a point, but they are very young, and you don't want to throw young running backs to the wolves," Mike said. Then again, we needed to see if they were good.

"One of my friends plays in the SEC and they play freshmen out there all the time," I said.

"Well duh, different coaches have different systems," Mike said. Mike could be really confrontational at times, but then again a lot of graduate students were like that.

"You ain't telling me anything I don't know dude," I said. "We done here?"

"Yeah, Ed will go over more stuff tomorrow," Mike said.

"Cool, well see ya in the morning," I replied. I really wanted to get out of there to see Lisa.

"I won't be there, stupid early field trip into Portland, I have to leave tonight," He said.

"What for?" I asked making general conversation.

"Well, I'm working for my masters degree in Sports Administration. I figure the school is paying for it, I should use it," Mike said. "They are taking us to see the Portland Trailblazers." The Blazers were one of the best teams in the league at the time, but that's only because my Lakers weren't as great.

"Well, hopefully it works out," I said. "D you mind if I call home quick?"

"No probs, phone is in the kitchen," He said.

"oh ok," I said.

"Hey hun, I'm done, do you need anything?" I asked when Lisa picked up.

"Ummmm, lemme look," Lisa said. Since we moved in, Mom has been having family meals again, so Lisa likes to chip and help.

"Yeah, we need some milk and some chicken," Lisa said.

"That's it? Well, I'll stop by the Shop "n" Save for some," I said.

:"Well, don't rush, I'm making up everything else, we can put the chicken in later, unless you are hungry?" Lisa said.

"Nah, I'm fine, but I'll try to get home pretty quick, I'm tired," I said.

"Ok, love ya, see you later," Lisa said before hanging up. Lisa always was concerned with my hunger. It's not like I was growing anymore, and being an athlete I did have to watch how much I ate. It was nice to have her concerned about everything, but sometimes I was annoyed by it. I was perfectly capable of feeding myself. Though I didn't mind it as much as I'm making it sound.


End file.
